I have an Instagram roundup and an eGift Card Giveaway today! I can’t believe it’s already November. The weather has definitely shifted although the forecast predicts warm weather in the high 70’s to low 80’s here in San Diego the air feels dry and my skin has definitely felt it. I’ve been pulling a number of creams, oils and lotions to see what works best for dry sensitive skin and hope to have a roundup of the best very soon.
For Instagram I receive quite a few questions on the items I post. I tag everything to make it easy for you to identify anything that piques your interest – they’re meant to be highlights, previews or snippets of what I’m loving at the moment. Here’s a roundup with some more details:
- My desktop is always cluttered with item I’m testing, swatching or simply just using. I know I’ve promised a beauty organization post and I promise it’s coming! I’m a perfectionist when it comes to finding just the right items finding storage solutions that work has been a long process. Anyways on my desktop: the MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinishes (my favorite is Beaming Blush) and Glossier Serums (I bought these to see if they live up to the hype). One item I ordered from the Sephora VIB Rouge sale was the Elizabeth and James Find Your Nirvana Rollerball Set and it’s sooo cute! My favorite is still Nirvana Black. Also on the desk are a couple NARS Velvet Lip Glides (review here).
- The founder of The Dry Bar Alli Webb just released her first book Good Hair For All. I was thrilled they sent me an advance copy. I love that it’s hardcover, has great photos and is easy to follow. I haven’t tried any of the tutorials but I they look like it’s actually possible to do the styles yourself.
- Two things I love for dry skin are the Lanolips Balm in Strawberry (available at Ulta and Net-A-Porter) and the Jo Malone Germanium and Walnut Hand Cream (picked up from Nordstrom). The Lanolips is one of the best balms I’ve tried I was really surprised as I did not know what to expect.
- One of my outfit flatlays, you can see the Coach Clutch here, Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Med-Dark here, Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Shimmer Shots here. Top is by Joie (no longer available), flats by Chloe, jeans by Frame. The Dior Addict Gloss in Nude is one of the prettiest soft pinks I’ve ever tried. I highly recommend it!
- Diptyque Noisetier, Figuier and Feuille de Lavande recycled with the Lanolips Net-a-Porter Duo shown. The Noisetier is hazelnut and one of my favorite home scents for fall.
- Many of you have asked about my pets and how I manage their white fur. Short answer is that it’s a lot of work and it’s daily. We have 3 furkids, one ragdoll cat and two Jack Russell Terriers. As you might imagine they shed and have lots of energy so their fur gets everywhere. We have to vacuum multiple times a day, are always well stocked on swiffers and lint rollers. The lifesaver has been the iRobot Roomba 650 – we have gone through 3 variations in past the 11 years we’ve had our pets so they do last a long time (also available at Macy’s). It can be programmed to go off at scheduled times, has separate sensors towers so you can control where it goes. It does a great job at picking up hair, dust, lint etc. on hard surfaces and they are really easy to maintain and clean out. For the rug it does an ok job but we still need to vacuum with a regular one. If you have pets or kids even I highly recommend it. I have the iRobot Roomba 877 on my wishlist as ours probably needs to be replaced soon.
- Aesop released a new item called Redemption Body Scrub. I’ve been a long time fan of the Geranium Body Scrub. The new one has a more invigorating scent and also has oils to help nourish the skin. Le Labo Santal Shower Gel is a splurge but I love it everytime I repurchase it. One of the best dry skin remedies is First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. It helps with irritated skin, is gentle, hydrates and doesn’t sting. If you haven’t tried this before I suggest looking at the Minis Kit – you won’t regret it.
- One of my favorite scents for fall is still Bal D’Afrique. Fall scent and fragrance roundup in this post here. I’ll have a home scent roundup for fall to winter soon.
- I use Truffle pouches daily and my current favorite is the Clarity Clutch Mini because it’s small enough to fit inside purses without taking up a lot of room. You can see the black mini in action here and here.
- I will have reviews of the Louis Vuitton Parfums and CoverFX Enhance Highlighter Click Sticks up. I feel as though I have a lot of items on my to-do list that have been there forever. I’ve been pretty good at managing things and life in general but have been battling borderline burnout for the past month. So I thank you for your patience when you see that I say posts are “coming soon” but feel like it’s taking forever!
Last but not least I’m having another giveaway – it’s my way of saying thank you and giving back. In a world filled with thousands of blogs out there I’m touched from the bottom of my heart that so many of you return to read this labor of love on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The eGift Card Giveaways seem to be the most popular choice. I also have some backups I have in my stash of hard to find items that I will be giving away in the next few weeks so stay tuned! For this one, simply enter for a chance to win through the widget below. Details:
- I’m giving away five $100 eGift Cards to Sephora.com (US site)
- It’s open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to enter
- It will run through November 11, 2016 10:30 AM PST
- Five distinct winners will be selected at random and contacted by e-mail from me
- Each selected winner will receive one $100 eGift Card to Sephora
- Please refer to terms and conditions for all details
- The giveaway is not affiliated or sponsored
The giveaway has a few fun interactive questions so check out the options in the widget
Good luck! I have lots to share and review coming up on the blog and can’t wait. I sometimes feel like I need to clone/replicate myself to edit and accomplish things faster. If you have any tips or tricks on battling burnout let me know in the comments! I’ve been trying things and so far have been able to manage stress by making lists, making a point to exercise daily, eat better to feel better from the inside out, I’ve juiced on and off for the past year and can share what I’ve tried if you’re interested!